Safe-alarm



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT H. FREEMAN, OF PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA.

SAFE-ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,011, dated October 27, 1896.

Application filed May 22,1896. Serial No. 592,615. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT I-I. FREEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pierre, in the county of Hughes and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarms for Safes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in alarms for safes, the invention residing particularly in special means whereby an ordinary spring alarm-gong is adapted to be converted, so that when attached to the inner door, roof, wall, or bottom of a safe the opening of the outer door will cause the bell to be rung, indicating to the patrolman or watchman that the safe is being tampered with.

The invention consists in an ordinary alarmgong secured to the inner door or other part of the interior of the safe, a movable stop for preventing the vibration of the bell-hammer, a lever fulcrumed to a bed-plate and connected.to said stop-piece, a guide and stop pin for said lever passing through a slot therein, a spring for normally urging said lever to its outward position, a dog for arresting the outward movement of the lever, and a releasefinger-attached to the outer door of the safe, whereby, upon the closing of the outer door, said dog is released, and upon the reopening of said door said lever is thrown to its outermost position, the hammer-stop is thrown out of engagement with said hammer, and the gong is sounded.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a top view of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing the releasing strip or lever and its connection with the bellhammer.

Similar reference-numerals indicate like parts in the difierent figures.

The gong 1 employed by me may be of any suitable form of construction and is provided with the usual spring-actuated hammer 2, both of which are attached to a bed-plate 3, which is screwed or otherwise suitably secured to. the inside of the safe. I prefer to have the same attached to the inner door, and have shown the same in this position in the drawings. Fulcrumed in an extension of the bed-plate 3 is a lever 4, which engages a yokeshaped releasing strip or lever 5, having a contacting portion 6 thereon,which is adapted to engage when in one of its positions the verge of the bell-hammer 2 and when in another of its positions to release said bell-hammer and allow the same to strike against the gong. The lever 4 is slotted at 6 at a point near its outer end. and through this slot projects a headed guide and stop pin 7, secured to an extension of the bed-plate 3. Surrounding said stop-pin 7, and engaging the inner side of the lever 4 is a coil-spring 8, which tends to urge said lever outward. The free end of the lever 4 is adapted to be engaged by a dog 9, pivoted in a lug 10 in the bed-plate 3, and is so engaged when the contacting portion 6 is in engagement with the bell-hammer 2. The outer end of the dog 9 is inclined or beveled, as shown, and is adapted to be engaged along its beveled surface by a release-finger 11, attached to the outer door 12 of the safe.

\Vith the parts of my device in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 3, the operation is as follows: In the position shown the lever 4 is held inwardly by the shoulder on the dog 9, and when in this'position the contacting portion'6 is in engagement with the bell-hammer 2 and the latter is prevented from vibrating. Upon the closure of the safedoor 12, however, the release-finger 11 comes in contact with the inclined or beveled outer surface of the dog 9 and the latter drops by gravity out of the range of movement of the lever 4. While the safe is closed the said lever is still kept in its inner position by the engagement of the finger 11 with the lever 4, but upon opening the safe-door'12 the said lever is free to move and does move outward by the force of the spring 8 and releases the contactin g portion 6 from engagement with the hammer 2. The gong is now sounded, and in case the safe is being opened by unauthorized persons or burglars the alarm would be given. The gong may be stopped by pressing in the lever 4 and catching it with the dog 9.

ICO

Having now described my invention, What Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a safe-alarm, a gong and hammer therefor secured to the inside of the safe, in combination with a lever Whose outward movement is arrested by a dog, a stop for the said hammer and suitable connections between said stop and said lever, and a releasefinger attached to the outer door of the safe whereby, upon the closure of said door, the said dog will be disengaged, and upon the opening of said door said lever Willbe thrown outwardly and said stop will be moved from its engagement with said hammer, substantially as described.

2. In a safe-alarm, a bell and a hammer therefor, secured to the inside of the safe, a

lever fulcrumed to the bed-plate of the bell and having a slot near its outer end, a contacting portion or stop for preventing the vibration of said hammer connected to said lever, a guide and stop pin passing through a slot in said lever, a spring surrounding said pin and engaging the inner side of said lever, a dog engaging the outer end of said lever and a release-finger upon the outer door 

